Feb. 12, 2006

Box Score

EL PASO, Texas - Sha'Ratta Hawkins (Houston, Texas/Jesse Jones HS) and Nakazi Glover (Brookshire, Texas/Bellaire HS) combined for 38 points, but it was not enough as the University of Houston women's basketball team lost 77-67 to UTEP in Conference USA action Sunday at the Haskins Center.

Houston (9-14, 6-6 C-USA), which never led in the game, came back from an 18-point second-half deficit but could not get over a late scoring hump as UTEP (13-11, 5-7 C-USA) won its first contest over the Cougars in seven tries. After forcing its previous six opponents into an average of 22.6 turnovers per game, UH was able to push the Miners into only 12 turnovers. Houston did convert those turnovers into 13 points.

Hawkins finished with a game-high 20 points, her sixth 20-point performance this season. She also pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds for her third-career double-double. Glover finished with 18 points and seven boards.

Tye Jackson (Houston, Texas/Westfield HS/Purdue) had 10 points, all in the second half, before fouling out with 1:52 remaining. Kadi Creel (Duncanville, Texas/Duncanville HS) tallied all 10 of her points in the first half.

UTEP opened the game on a 21-9 run as UH was just 3 for 11 (.273) in the games first 10 minutes. A jumper by Glover at the 10:09 mark snapped a five-minute field-goal drought for the Cougars and a layup by Creel on the next possession moved the lead back down to single digits at 24-15 with nine minutes left. Over the next 5:37, UTEP went on a 10-2 run, pushing the lead to 15 at 34:19 with 5:03 left.

An 8-0 UH run over the next three minutes had the deficit down to single digits once again, 34-27 with 2:48 left. After a jumper by UTEP's Ingrid Goslin Creel sank another three and UH was within six at 36-30 with 2:06 left. UH would not score another field goal in the half and UTEP sank a three and a jumper, giving the Miners a 41-31 lead at the break.

Glover and Creel both found double figures in the half with 11 and 10 points, respectively. Jackson picked up three fouls in four minutes and was a non-factor in the half. The Miners tallied 14 of their first-half points on putbacks despite being out-rebounded 13-8 on the offensive glass by Houston.

UTEP was led by Goslin's 19 points and 11 rebounds. Izabela Piekarska also had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Whitney Thornton had 17 points and Ana Valtierra had 11 points, including a 6 for 6 effort from the charity stripe in the game final two minutes.

The Cougars close out the home portion of the schedule next weekend, taking on Tulsa Friday and SMU Sunday. Tipoff on Friday is slotted for a 7 p.m. CST start while Sunday's contest begins at 4 p.m. and will be televised nationally by CSTV. Sunday will also serve as senior day for UH as Fryters, the squad's lone graduating player, will be honored in a postgame ceremony.